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Nascent

Nascent is an adjective used to describe something as newly formed or just beginning to be in existence. Sometimes it is used to describe something with the potential for growth. It can be pronounced with either and long or short /a/ sound (nay cent or naa cent) in the US, while England uses the long /a/ sound exclusively.

The noun form is nascence or nascency, which makes nascencies in the plural.

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Examples

Now that the proposals on constitutional amendments were tabled in Parliament, as a student of constitutional law, I would like to look at the pros and cons, but mostly the latter, of the semi-presidential system in a nascent democracy such as ours. [All Africa]

The arrival of recreational paintball to Afghanistan may seem peculiar to outsiders, especially in a country that’s known decades of war, faces constant bombings and attacks by Taliban insurgents and is preparing its own security forces for the withdrawal of most foreign troops by the end of the year. However, it shows both the rise of a nascent upper and middle class looking for a diversion with the time to spare, as well as the way American culture has seeped into the country since the 2001 U.S.-led invasion to topple the Taliban. [New Zealand Herald]

“Wearables” is still a nascent product category, but one that Intel has a vested interest in. [Tech Crunch]

As it is still in its nascence, the website is yet to have an exhaustive database. [New Indian Express]

The issue has become all the more important here in America, where the effort to raise public awareness of their plight is still in its nascency (and susceptible to political opportunism), and the nation is, again, on the brink of war. [National Catholic Reporter]